Facile synthesis BiVO4 with copper dopant in acidic solution for photocatalytic application: Effect of argon plasma treatment on low concentration of copper in BiVO4

BiVO 4 with copper dopant was prepared by co-precipitation method. The prepared material with highest degradation rate i.e. 0.25% Cu was treated with plasma using glow discharge in the argon atmosphere. The synthesized materials are analyzed for their morphology and structure using SEM and XRD respectively. The composition is analyzed by XPS technique for prepared material. The degradation efficiency of methylene blue dye by 0.25% Cu at 180 min was 87% and after the treatment with plasma, degradation rate increased to 90% in 180 min for decomposition of methylene blue dye. The EPR and XPS results confirm the presence of oxygen vacancies in the prepared material. The Photocatalytic activity agrees with result of electron-hole pairs recombination, lower band gap value, high specific surface area and the presence of oxygen vacancies. The GCMS results confirm the decomposition of MB dye into CO 2 . The phytotoxic effects of treated and untreated dye solutions has studied with fenugreek plants.